Forget The Heisman; Race For The (Maurice) Clarett Award Really Heating Up

From the Thug for a day category:

Arizona State starting senior cornerback, Terell Carr was kicked off of the team on Tuesday, November 10, 2009 by Head Coach Dennis Erickson.

Erickson announced that Carr had been suspended indefinitely for violating team rules.

To make matters worse, Carr was arrested and booked into County Jail on suspicion of driving with a revoked license, disorderly conduct, and assault later that day, according to the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office.

Carr wasn't considered an early round Draft possibility but would have likely been picked up late in the draft or invited as an un-drafted free agent.

Like Carr's future, further details of the incident are a little sketchy at this time.

OK, so gouging someone's eyes out, I'm sorry, I mean trying really hard to gouge someone's eyes out is probably not enough to bring home the award this year considering the other nominees.

Yet senior LB, and early first round NFL Draft prospect Brandon Spikes would make a fine represenative for his team if this were not an individual award.

At least 25 University of Florida players have been arrested during Urban Meyers' tenure at the school.

Charges have ranged from driving under suspended license to drug and weapons charges, to my knowlege only one player had to be shot (with a taser gun) during their arrest.

Head coach Urban Meyer has decided to crack down in an effort to regain control of his players.

To prove he's serious about the new focus on discipline Meyer suspended Spikes for 30 minutes against Vanderbilt. Ouch!

Come on, you saw that coming.

Unlike Byron Hout who still had that "hey dude, I'm funny when I trash talk" goofy grin on his face when Lagarette Blount launched himself into the lead on opening night with a knee buckling right hook.

Blount was considered a candidate for the Heisman coming into his senior season based on his performance last year when he led the Oregon Ducks with over 1000 yards rushing and 17 touchdowns.

He did that backing up Jeremiah Johnson who also rushed for over 1000 yards.

Blount--who was suspended for one quarter of the Cal game last season by then head coach Mike Bellotti "for not following team rules" and again after the season, that time indefinitely for "failure to meet team obligations"--was reinstated by new head coach Chip Kelly who said Blount "responded fairly well to the suspension".

Proving three strikes only count in baseball, the Pac 10 and coach Kelly have reinstated Blount yet again after what was supposed to be a season long and career ending suspension.

In a quote regarding the reinstatement Blount said, “Now it is up to me to prove to people that their lasting impressions of me are not what they saw in Boise.”

Aside from the incoherence of that statement, it's an almost certainty that Blount has left a lasting impression along with a new vernacular.

The new catch phrase, "Dude, don't make me knock that Hout off your face!"

Jumping right into a three-way tie for the lead in the race for the Clarett are three highly regarded freshmen from Lane Kiffin’s Tennesee Volunteer squad.

Starting wide receiver, Nu’Keese Richardson and two defensive backs, Michael Edwards and Janzen Jackson, also a starter were arrested by the Knoxville Police Department on multiple counts of Attempted Robbery as well as various other charges including drug possession.

Volunteer fans had to think they were the victim of the most elaborate episode of Punk’d ever filmed.

Early reports indicate that the would-be robbers zoomed into a convenience store near campus in a powder blue—fuel efficient—Prius hybrid.

Two of the assailants—described as wearing official team apparel—approached and invaded a vehicle occupied by four broke college students.

Wielding a menacing CO2-powered pellet gun one of the perpetrators said “give everything you got!”

When all the victims could produce was a hamburger (apparently they couldn’t even afford to add cheese) a third man said “we’ve got to go.”

The three then climbed back into the Prius, driven by a giggling—and stoned—21 year old woman and sped away.

Coach Kiffin, not known for his bashfulness, hasn’t had anything to say about the incident.

Janzen Jackson was considered the No.1 defensive back in last year's recruiting class by many rating outlets.

He was recruited by most of the nation's elite football programs, including Florida, Alabama and LSU where he had committed prior to signing with Tennessee.

Jackson's father, a college football coach at Miami (Ohio), cited the need for Janzen to get away from the 'criminal element' in Louisiana as reason for reneging on his commitment to play for Les Miles.

As additional details unfold it appears that Jackson may have had a lesser role in the robbery and many are already calling for him to receive a 'second' chance.

Of course Jackson had just been reinstated from 'administrative' suspension and had yet to retake the field.

Jackson is the front runner at this point simply for falling so far so fast.

Michael Vick, the first retro-recipient, declined the opportunity to present the award given the location of the ceremony.

His college representative, Terrelle Pryor, will fill in and present the award later this year at a yet to be disclosed State Facility, likely somewhere in Tennessee.

In a statement about making the presentation Pryor said, “I’m thrilled, I mean, everybody kills people, steals from you, steals from me..."

Clearly Jackson has a comfortable lead but there are over two months to go until season’s end, stay tuned!

Enjoy another great article by Henry Ball: